Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Hi mom and dad! I’m enjoying
my time here in Belize. This week it's been pretty chilly, a cold front is
coming through. I know it’s a lot warmer here than it is in Mass :P but
relative to the normal weather here it’s pretty cold. Is there any snow left?
Drink some hot chocolate for me and sit on the pellet stove J I love and miss you both! See you soon. -Sarah Bailey

Hey family and friends!
Belize is awesome! one of the people I’ve met said I can bring Matt down and
he’ll take him iguana hunting. I loved my time at the orphanage and snorkeling!
I’m so proud I didn’t bring one home, almost did… jk. Can’t wait to brag Matt
and Dad J I’m looking forward to seeing some Mayan ruins and
more hospitals this week.Can’t wait to
see you guys soon! Love you lots.~Amelia Jones

Hi Mom and Dad!! Wow, Belize
is so beautiful! It’s so weird to think that I’m in a different country.
Everything’s so different, and I’ve learned a lot about Belizean culture. Quite
a bit different than what I expected, but still very interesting. We’ve seen so
many awesome sights and done some things that I’ll probably never do again
haha. I hope everyone’s doing well at home! I miss everyone so much and can’t
wait to see you when I come back home! PLEASE give Gracie and Maggie big hugs
for me!! Love you all so much! – Sarah Woodbury

To my friends and family!
Hello. I heard its snowing. I just want to say ‘HAHA’. The weather has been
incredible here in Belize. It has been so great, that several of the people on
the trip have complained of being cold in the 67-degree rainy weather here in
the jungle. I received word that you had some record low temperatures. Well
here in Belize, we had some record high fun! The experiences of being in a
foreign country are almost too much to write, but I’ll try and provide a snap
shot! We have had a wonderful mixture of missions, tours, life experiences,
lessons, lectures, and seminars. Within this country we have heard a
wonderfully colorful mixture of languages: English, Creole, Q’echi (Mayan), and
Spanish. We have enjoyed a plethora of different biomes: villages, rainforests,
tropical beaches, and urban settlements. There has been so much to absorb while
being abroad, and I can’t wait to sit down and share my journey with you all J Love ya’ll -Aaron

Monday, January 6, 2014

We finished up our week in the Toledo District, the southern-most district in Belize. We were able to visit the public hospital and 2 public clinics. Services and prescriptions provided at the clinics and hospital are free, but apparently there was not much available. The hospital only has one specialist, who is a pediatrician. Any surgeries or tough cases are referred to Dangriga, which is in the Stann Creek district and is 2.5 hours north.

While here, we also got to hear the experiences of Jervis, the founder of LOL Children's home, and Susan, a woman who was a foster mother to severely malnourished babies in Belize and is now the adoptive mother of many of them. Overall, we have seen and learned so much!

Thursday, January 2, 2014

We have spent the last two days at the Laugh Out Loud Childcare center. The children here are either orphans or in a foster-care situation. The vision that the caretakers had to build the facility and to nurture these children, and the trust they placed in God to carry it out, is truly inspirational. If you have the opportunity to serve as an intern or with a mission trip, we would highly recommend it!

Both Donna and Austin celebrated birthdays today. The cook at LOL sent us back to CHMI with a spice cake so that we could celebrate.